Acknowledgements.

About the Author.

Introduction.

Chapter One: Vision Without Execution Is Hallucination.

Yes, There Is an Execution Gap But That's Only the Tip of the Iceberg!

Conventional Wisdom : Maybe Not So Wise!

The Five Bridges: Gap Closers That Make the Difference.

The Bottom Line.

Chapter Two: Bridge Builder 1: Create and Use Action Plans.

First Things First: A Brief Look at Strategic Planning.

Vision and Standards of Excellence.

Aligning Projects and Programs with Strategy.

Action Planning: An Execution Essential.

The Bottom Line.

Chapter Three: Bridge Builder 2: Expect Top Performance.

The Pygmalion Effect: Proof That Expectations Drive Performance.

Breaking the Cycle.

The Bottom Line.

Chapter Four: Bridge Builder 3: Hold People Accountable.

What Is Accountability Anyway?

Why We Should Hold People Accountable and Why We Don't.

Assessing Accountability: The Four Levels.

Why We Make Excuses.

Accountability Boosters: Managing Accountability in Others.

The Bottom Line.

Chapter Five: Bridge Builder 4: Involve the Right People in Making the Right Decisions.

Beyond the Buzzword: What Empowerment Really Means.

Brain Basics: How Cognitive Systems Impact Judgment and Decision Making.

So How Can We Make Better Decisions?

The Bottom Line.

Chapter Six: Bridge Builder 5: Facilitate Change Readiness.

What Top-Performing Companies Do.

Kicking Old Habits: What Addicts Can Teach Us About Change.

The Five Levels of Change Readiness.

Moving on Up: Facilitating Change with Level-Appropriate Strategies.

Holding Up the Mirror: Understanding the Impact of Leader Behavior.

The Importance of Change Talk.

The Bottom Line.

Chapter Seven: Bridge Builder 6: Increase Cooperation and Collaboration.

Cooperating Versus Competing: The Human Struggle.

Encouraging and Sustaining Cooperation.

Disagreement Happens: How to Gain Support and Resolve Conflict.

The Bottom Line.

Conclusion: Five Lessons for Leaders.

Lesson 1: Integrate the Leader and Manager Role.

Lesson 2: Clarify Assumptions and Priorities.

Lesson 3: Make Sure the Right Systems Are in Place.

Lesson 4: Coordinate and Monitor High-Impact Actions.

Lesson 5: Get Change Management Right.

The Bottom Line.

Appendix: Criteria for Selecting Top-Performing Companies.

Notes.

Index.